The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-26
THE TEXAS INQUIRY.
Democratic Witnesses Tell of the Wicked
ness of the Republican Memorialists.

Democratic Witnesses Tell of the Wicked
of the Republican NIemorialists.
WASHINGTON, Feb 25.-John n. Roberts,
white, was sworn and examined by the Texas in
vestigatiug committee this morning He de-
scribed the condition of affairs in Washington
county previous to the formation Of the peoples
ticket. Not single Republican had held a
money Office in the county since the war who
had not been accused of stealing the public
money. The witness is voter at Graball. After
the killing Of Bolton, on election day, last No
vember, there was great excitement On the
Sunday following the negroes collected at Bably's
Church, two miles from Graball, and were SO
much excited over the arrest of their fellows,
who were accused of the killing. that they would
not go into the church, but remained outside
''caucusing" among themselves. They made
threats that if the arrested negroes were
not released within certain time they
would unite and massacre the whites.
The whites in the neighborhood are
outnumbered about six to one by the blacks, and
are completely at their mercy. In conse ouence
of these threats the whites held a meeting, and
the witness, as secretary Of the meeting, tele-
graphed to the sheriff at Brennan to come with
fifty men, to the protection of the whites. The
sheriff came, with seventeen or eighteen men.
The whites armed and organized and rode out to
meet the sheriff After consultation, they rode
home On cross-eXamnation, the witness said
the general reputation of Hackworth, Moore and
Schuelz the memorialists. was as bad rs could
be; that they got the negroes together at
night in 'owl meetings" as they were called,
and delivered infammatory speeches to them.
He said these meetings were held late at night
after good people had gone to bed; that the DEM
ocratic citizens in the country, farmers, went to
bed usually about p NJ, like good, honest men,
THE Republicans" he said. ''did not go to bed
at all during political campaign"
Hugh NJ. Lewis, white. Democrat, county
| clerk of Washington county for the last ton
years. testified to the dissatisfaction OF the peo
| pie Of the county with the Republican admins
| tration, and specified instances of maladminis-
| tration which contributed to the movement out
| of which grew the peoples ticket, two years
! ago. Hackworth one Of the memorialists, was
| indicted six times for malfeasance and extor-
| ton. Once he was tried and acquitted. and the
other indictments were quashed. The wit
ness did not believe that Hackworth
was driven from the county. The
county records show that Hackworth,
Justice of the peace, let contracts for building
| bridges to his own father at exorbitant prices;
| under adjudication the prices cut down to
about 80 per cent of the contract prices. The
| witness described the contracts let by Justice
| Hackworth to his father and brother-inlaw as
''outragesn
| Henry Mueller, German Republican, editor
| and publisher Of German Republican news
! paper at Brennan. was examined by Senator
Eustis. He was Union soldier throughout the
| Rebellion, and is drawing a pension. He sup
ported Blaine during the last national canvass
| He described the condition of local affairs and
| in general way, the acts of maladministratior
which gave rise to fusion two years ago. Tht
reputation of Hackworth and Schuelz (memor
ialists) was not good. Hackworths was mo-
good for solvency. Republican could vote ant
act with his followers without molestation il
| Washington county.
W. W. Searcy, an attorney at law. and chair
man of the Washington county Democratic ex
ecutve committee for the last SIX years, testi
fed that the peoples ticket was formed for thu
purpose of ridding the taxpayers Of thieves whs
had lived there like vipers upon the tax-payers
substance for the last twenty years. The wit
ness enumerated four instances of Republican
Inismanagement OF county revenues. The repu
tation of the memorialists was not good. Hack
worth could live in Washington county, but th
witness said his reputation was such that b.
could get but little business. 1t was believed il
the county that Schuelz accepted bribes Will
county attorney. The only objection to Moor
was the character of his speeches-social equal
ity and the like.
j. A. Engelke president of the First Nationa
Bank, of Brennan, had always been Repub
| lican in national politics. but supported the Pee
pies county ticket, which was formed becaus
of wasting of county revenues. The witnes
knew OF no reason why man should leave tn
county simply because he was Republican
He knew of no instance of q mans personal O
business relations being interferred with on a.